


Piano

by Jessa



Series: HM Server Prompt Fills [11]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Multi, Prompt Fill, harpsichord, mer!Alec, mer!Jace, mer!Magnus, physical comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-09
Updated: 2020-11-09
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:01:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27432439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jessa/pseuds/Jessa
Summary: Magnus goes looking for Jace.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood/Jace Wayland, Magnus Bane/Jace Wayland
Series: HM Server Prompt Fills [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1850245
Comments: 4
Kudos: 14
Collections: Hunter's Moon 500 Prompts





	Piano

**Author's Note:**

> For the Piano prompt. I started this months ago when the prompt first came out but never managed to finish it.
> 
> There are two other reads in this AU: [Scales](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25355170) and [Quiet](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25643914).

Magnus wakes in sleeping arms. These belong to Alexander. He kisses the sensitive scales at his brow and Alec stirs. So Magnus kisses him again there and then gives up the smile he saves for slipping free of Alec and going in pursuit of Jace. Leaving their coral cave knowing full well where he is. 

The ravine is another of their secret places. Has been since the beginning, when Magnus was new. A deep crevasse between shipwrecks, fallen from the surface moons ago. But not all wrecks lie visible. Remain within the scope of humans who would reach them and strip them and attempt to understand why the ocean may have taken them down. Sometimes wrecks take themselves that way. And sometimes the deepest parts of the ocean welcome things that want to go down like that.

So, the harpsichord has always remained untouched down here, between the smooth slices of rock. Its keys are all sunk, its strings have corroded, and its golden pedals have dislodged. Now they sit uselessly on the silt like a warm-blooded creature before a cold fire-pit that hopes a heat might spark in it again some day. If the right hands restore what it could do before its fuel all burned away. 

Magnus gives up the smile he saves for only these times; when Jace’s long and languid arms are spread. And his fingers dance over keys which play nothing but memories of scores hewed deep into muscle. Magnus doesn’t disturb him. Just watches his hands move mournfully up the octaves until Jace stops. Hands still held in position, shoulders sinking. And that’s when Magnus goes to him. That’s when Magnus always does but there isn’t a smile that he saves for this. 

He slips his hands around Jace’s waist. Brushing carefully over the malleable spines that grow from the place where his mer-tail meets his human hips. Petting the spiny fringe with the grain, not against it. Stroking over this to comfort Jace. 

Gently, Magnus pulls him back and Jace settles against his chest and cheek. His body feels tight and tense from the sadness that has called it to this place again. The feelings he’s indulged to come here and play a thing that won’t play any more. As much as Jace yearns to make it. As much as Magnus grows to understand it. Each and every time it happens.

Magnus hums low to Jace and strokes his soft spines, feeling them yield beneath his palm as he pets upwards. They fold around the curves of Jace’s waist and when Magnus completes each stroke they slowly rise again through the sea. A soft crown around his midriff. Ready to be petted again. 

Jace relaxes with the start of each stroke. His scaled forms unknotting with the pleasure that each of the pets Magnus gives him brings. Magnus places his lips to Jace’s cheek. And then to the sensitive scales at his brow. They both give up the smile they save for that.


End file.
